Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Seeking info family links early to mid 1800s

DownNewtownards (Down)

Is anyone able to give me more info on my great great grandfather Robert Robson and his family (or where to find such info). From Newtownards in County Down, born early 1800s. We know he had at least two children: Mary Jane McIlwain Robson (married names Crummer and Gascoine)and James McGimpsey Robson (both born around 1840s in Ireland and died in New Zealand).

Appreciate any help about where to begin with this.

Thanks

Kate

IrelandXO member

4 replies

Kate,

You don?t say what denomination the family were. However looking at the church records that exists for that area, none has baptism records for the early 1800s. The earliest marriage record seem to start in 1820 (Ballyblack Presbyterian), though most start later. (There?s copies of all the surviving church records for that area in PRONI ? the Public Record Office ? in Belfast but they are not on-line).

There are some Robsons from Newtownards on the RosDavies site:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Erosdavies/

 

Elwyn

Ahoghill AntrimIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn,

Sorry, should have said that the family were probably Protestant. And Robert Robson possibly married to Sarah or Jane Gilliland (or Gillelend - not sure of right spelling). Thanks for your suggestions

Kate

IrelandXO member

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/SURNAMES/R/…

the link above has been invaluable to me in my research and I did find Robert married to Jane Gilliland in my quick search - maybe you can find more

though I know of no Robson's in my family tree at this point (mine is Cree) the McGimspey caught my eye as my great great great grandmother was Jane McGimpsey and her father was James McGimpsey

 

Hope this helps you

IrelandXO member

The info on Ros Davies site indicates your family were Presbyterian (and so almost certainly of Scottish origins, most likely arriving in Ireland in the 1600s).

There?s evidently a baptism in 1st Newtownards in 1844 followed by another in Ballyblack Presbyterian church in 1859. So two sets of church records worth looking at. Newtownards 1st baptism records start in 1831, their marriages in 1833. Ballyblack's baptisms start in 1821 and marriages in 1820. (Copies are held in PRONI, Belfast).

I looked for Robert in Griffiths Valuation for c 1863 and in the provincial street directories but can?t see him listed.

Ahoghill AntrimIrelandXO Volunteer

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.